Safety and efficacy of mait cells for adoptive cell therapy prevention of gvhd

The inventors explored in an allogeneic situation the regulatory potential of Mucosal-Associated Invariant T cells (MAIT cells), a population of unconventional T cells that exhibit potent antibacterial activity, expressing a semi-invariant TCR which recognizes vitamin B2 derivatives of microbial origin presented by the MR1 molecule. In particular, the inventors used i) an allogenic reaction model in vitro (mixed lymphocyte reaction, MLR) and ii) murine model of xenogeneic aGvHD They first verified that human MAIT cells do not proliferate in response to allogeneic stimulation in vitro (MLR) or in vivo (immunodeficient mice) alone but require for their expansion both an inflammatory environment and TCR ligation by its ligand. In contrast, MAIT cells are able to inhibit the proliferation of allospecific LT in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the adoptive transfer of MAIT cells in a mouse model of xeno-GVHD resulted in a delay in early or late GvHD development. Altogether, these data describe a new regulatory function of MAIT cells in an allogeneic context, allowing us to consider their use in cell therapy to limit GvHD.

Patent Application number: European Procedure (Patents) (EPA) - 10 Déc. 2020 - 20 306 528.9
Inventors:
CAILLAT-ZUCMAN SophieTALVARD-BALLAND Nana

Reference:

BIO20499-T1

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